Haematic Silence
by kspadawan
Summary: Palpatine discovers the key to turning Anakin Skywalker to the Dark: the eradication of his weakness, Obi-Wan Kenobi. When Obi-Wan goes missing, however, nothing will stop Anakin from rescuing him, whether the Dark Side–or the Sith Lord-like it or not.A/O
1. Chapter 1

**Haematic Silence**

Summary: Palpatine discovers the key to turning Anakin Skywalker to the Dark: the eradication of his weakness, Obi-Wan Kenobi. When Obi-Wan goes missing, however, nothing will stop Anakin from rescuing him, whether the Dark Side – or the Sith Lord - likes it or not. SLASH. Anakin/Obi-Wan.

Rating: M

Warnings: Slash! Don't like, don't read!

Disclaimer: Let's just say that if the boys had belonged to me, RoTS would have gone quite differently. Please don't sue me, GL!

Chapter I: His One Weakness

Setting his comm down on his desk, having just ordered his servant, Mas Amedda, to allow him no disturbances, Palpatine sank slowly into his chair. Excited tremors wracked his old body from head to foot and he did nothing to stop it, even as his eyes gleamed with a hint of madness that his old Master would have been proud of.

'_It's so easy!' _he thought, crazed laughter spilling from behind chapped lips which were clenched into a manic sneer. The sound of his own voice seemed to startle him back into reality, though; he ran a shaking hand through his wavy gray hair, sobering quickly. _'No, calm down,'_ he advised himself. This information he'd gleamed from the boy was imperative, rapturous, everything that he needed in order to achieve what he'd desired for over ten years now: Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear, serving at his side. His apprentice, willingly.

He had to fight down another urge to laugh gleefully at the mere thought of it. And after a moment's hesitation, gave into it completely. How could he not? The boy was as good as his now. And the best part was that he'd damned himself freely, had shared the information with his kindly old friend, the Chancellor, of his own accord. There'd been no prying on his part, as there had so often been for intelligence of much less importance. Yes, the best part_, _Palpatine mused, as the feeling of absolute triumph coursed through his veins like a drug, was this: The Jedi's precious Chosen One had marched straight up to the Dark Lord of the Sith and smilingly admitted his one weakness.

Palpatine had to laugh at the sheer irony. Now that he thought on it, the answer had been right in front of him for years. He had to admit, the boy had thrown him off the scent for a bit with his constant rambling about Naboo's young senator. He'd thought for sure there was a secret relationship between the two – which he'd been planning on using to his advantage, eventually – but, as it seemed, the love between Anakin and Padmé was strictly platonic.

'_No matter,_' he thought. This was even better. Not to mention, easier. The Temple had seen many Jedi lost on their rather perilous missions, after all. Now all he had to do was stir the pot a bit, per se. Which couldn't prove to be too difficult a task, considering the three dangerous pawns – Dooku, Grievous, and Ventress - he had at his fingertips. Darth Sidious allowed himself a triumphant grin. And oh, how the Sith Lord would rejoice once the job was done! The insufferable Jedi Master had escaped death countless times during this war, yes, but that was before Sidious had his entire attention focused on his demise. Now, Kenobi was as good as dead. So, steeling himself mentally, he forced his body to calm down. Yes, he was going to win, but first he had to plan. Very carefully.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Anakin smiled lazily, a distant look in his vibrant blue eyes, as he left the Senate building after visiting with his friend. Thinking back on the visit, he had the grace to blush and wondered if perhaps he'd said too much…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"…_and then, the fat blue creature actually had the gall to _laugh,_ after he'd-" The Supreme Chancellor trailed off, mid-story, a concerned look in his eyes when he realized his young friend was not listening to him. His far-away eyes were focused on something behind the Chancellor, outside the window of his office. The Chancellor could only assume that his thoughts were also focused on that same something, considering the dreamy smile that curved his lips. Palpatine cleared his throat, startling him back into reality. "Anakin, my boy, are you all right?"he asked, his kind voice full of concern. _

_Anakin blinked, shaking his head a bit to clear his thoughts. "Hmmm? What?" _

_Palpatine chuckled warmly. "I was just wondering what you were thinking about. Clearly, we do not share the same interest in the hypocrisy of some senators."_

_Anakin's eyes widened, horrified. "Oh! Chancellor, I'm so sorry, I-"_

_He was cut off by his friend's amused laughter. "No, no, my boy, it's quite all right. Young minds, such as your own, should not be expected to listen to boring ramblings from an old man."_

_Anakin shook his head. "No, that's not it at all, Chancellor, I'm just…"_

"_Distracted?" Palpatine finished for him, smiling behind his steepled fingers. _

_Anakin nodded. "Yes, sir."_

_Palpatine paused, intrigued. "Pray, do forgive my shameless prying, Anakin, but… is there anything wrong?"_

"_Oh, no," Anakin waved his robotic hand, dismissing the old man's apologies. "I was just thinking about my plans for tonight."_

"_Oh?" the Chancellor asked, raising an eyebrow in question. _

"_Yes, the Council has given us some time off – that is, me, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan – and Rex and his men, too, of course-"_

"_Excellent – you have been working so hard, lately. I do worry about you, Anakin."_

_Anakin shrugged his shoulder good-naturedly. "I'm fine. Anyway, I'm taking Obi-Wan out to dinner." The far-off look and lazy smile returned full-force. "There's something I've been meaning to tell him…"_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Anakin shook his head, clearing his thoughts and forcing the blush back down. What did he have to be embarrassed about, anyway? The Chancellor hadn't pried any further after that, and really, he could have been meaning to tell his former Master _anything_, so what was the big deal? Even if the Chancellor _had_ guessed what he wanted to say – and a small part of him just _knew_ that Palpatine had – the man was his friend and only had his best interests at heart. _'It's not like he'd tell the Council or anything,'_ Anakin thought. Although, deep down, Anakin almost wished that he would. Because if the Council knew, then Anakin would have no reservations in telling – no, _screaming_ – it out to the entire damn city-planet, or better yet at those HoloNet reporters that were constantly following him around during his down-time so the entire galaxy would know.

'_You're mine, Obi-Wan. That much, I think, everyone knows; maybe even you, deep down. But before I tell the world, I think you ought to be the first to know – I love you.'_

The trip home was all a blur to him. He wasn't entirely aware of how he'd gotten there, as he walked through the Temple doors, lost in his thoughts, so he was taken off-guard when he heard her voice demanding his attention.

"Skyguy! Hey, Skyguy!" Ahsoka called, waving her arms in the air in an additional attempt to get her Master's attention.

"Huh?" he asked, blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear his mind.

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow at him, amused, as she came to a halt in front of him, having finally caught up with the tall Jedi. "Welcome back," she snorted, the double-meaning behind her words apparent by the humored look in her eyes.

The sarcasm was not lost on her Master. "Watch it, Snips, or your cheekiness will earn you a one-way trip to the dojo. Unless of course you _want _to spend your night off performing one-thousand _perfect _Form V strokes with–"

"All right, all right!" Ahsoka exclaimed, a look of horror in her eyes. "Jeez, you really can't take a joke, Master."

Despite himself, Anakin felt his lips pulling up into a smirk. "What did you want, Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka drew herself up straight, hands formally behind her back as she looked up at him seriously.

'_Uh-oh,'_ he thought warily, a look of dread surfacing in his blue eyes.

If Ahsoka noticed this, she didn't let on that she did. Well, she refrained from making any snarky comments, at the least. "Master, I was talking to Rex today and…"

Anakin's thoughts drowned the rest of what she was saying out of his mind as little alarm bells went off in his head. Ahsoka and Rex were getting very close, it seemed. Not that that was a bad thing, really, or even unexpected. Rex and his men were always going on missions with them, after all. And the Clone Captain had taken a liking to her as soon as he'd met her. He'd been kind and welcoming to the new padawan right from day one. _'At least one of us was,'_ he thought guiltily. To his credit, however, he'd been very stressed that day on Christophsis – their reinforcements turned out to be only one young girl insisting that she was his new padawan, a fact that Anakin still hadn't gotten used to, in the present day.

Not to mention that the Separatist's damned shields had caused him to be separated from Obi-Wan – a situation that he always had and always would meet with dread. And who could blame him? His former Master had always shown a blatantly stubborn disregard for his own well-being, a trait that Anakin had spoken with him about on countless occasions, with ever-increasing anger on his part. And in his opinion – no matter what his Master thought – he had every right to be angry with him. When he wasn't there to protect him, who would? Although it wasn't as if he'd ever trusted anyone else to do a decent job of it, anyway. The only solution, really, was to keep his Obi-Wan by his side at all times. The real trick would be getting the insufferable man to listen to him, for his own good. Hmmm… perhaps a pair of binder cuffs would do the trick…

_Obi-Wan's beautiful blue-gray eyes grew wide, his naïve curiosity evident by the confused look in them as he stared at the objects Anakin was dangling in front of him. Anakin watched hungrily as his full, pink lips pulled together into a pout. "Huh? What are these?"_

_Anakin smirked. "Binder cuffs."_

_A ginger-colored eyebrow was quirked. "Obviously. I meant, why are they here?"he asked, folding his arms against his chest._

_Anakin grinned flirtatiously. "For you. Now put them on."_

_He gulped as Obi-Wan wordlessly held out his wrists - despite his confusion - the look of undying trust in his eyes sending a familiar pang straight to his heart…_

Oh, Force.

Anakin shook his head hurriedly. As intoxicating as those images were, this was not the time or place, especially considering his company – not to mention his rather tight clothing…

"…said I could come, too. If that's okay?" Ahsoka finished and looked up at him expectantly.

Wait. What had he been thinking about again? Oh, right, Ahsoka and Rex. And their close friendship. As a Master, should he be worried? He shrugged mentally. _'Nah._' Rex would never try anything and even if he did, Ahsoka could handle herself. But then, what if _she–_

"Master?"

Anakin blinked, startling himself out of his reverie. "Uh, what?"

Ahsoka frowned at him, unsure whether to feel annoyed or insulted. One more look at his blank face and she decided that both emotions applied in this situation. "You sure are spacey today, Master."

He frowned. _'I don't need you to tell me that.'_

"What were you saying Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka fought back the urge to roll her eyes. "I _said_ Rex and the others from the five-oh-first are going to Kamino for a mandatory endurance check and he said it'd be okay if I tagged along. So, can I go?"

Anakin pondered it for a moment. "Just don't get in the way."

Ahsoka beamed, apparently too pleased with his affirmative answer to pick a fight. "Thanks, Skyguy! See you later!" she exclaimed, spinning on her heel. Before he could respond, she was already disappearing around the corner.

Anakin shrugged. _'Well, that takes care of Ahsoka. Now to get down to business…'_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Lucky for Anakin - and his rumbling stomach - he knew exactly where to look for his former Master. Sure enough, after he'd knocked, the opened door revealed four familiar figures grouped together in the sitting room, happy smiles on all of their glowing faces. It was rare for the four of them to all be at the Temple at the same time, Anakin mused as he walked down the hall leading to the gathering.

'_Well, three,'_ he corrected himself silently. Throughout their years of friendship, Bant Eerin had discovered a passion – and amazing talent – for the healing arts, which meant that she could usually be found in the Temple's Halls of Healing. As for the other three, Garen Muln and Quinlan Vos had been made an unofficial tag-team and were usually out on missions together, or more rarely, on their own. Obi-Wan, of course, was his other half. The second member of _the Team_. His Negotiator. Obi-Wan was usually by Anakin's side. _'As he should be.'_

"Hey guys," he greeted, raising his flesh arm and taking stock of the group. Bant was sitting on her preferred seat, a small recliner, while Obi-Wan and Garen were seated beside each other on her two-person sleepcouch. Quinlan had made himself comfortable on the armrest on Obi-Wan's side.

The Mon Calamari and only woman in the group hopped up from her seat and ran over to him. "Ani," she welcomed him warmly, smiling gently as he wrapped his arms around her for a brief hug.

"It's been a while, huh, Bant?" he asked.

She frowned at him playfully. "Yes, it has been a while since I've seen you, Ani, if you don't count the trips to the Halls that you make nearly every week."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Hey, it's a tough job being the Chosen One. More missions equals more injuries."

Bant sighed. "Yes, and the more missions _you _have, the less we see our Obi. Why is that, I wonder?"

"Kidnapper," a scandalized-looking Quinlan sniffed, pulling Obi-Wan's head onto his chest. "I'm here for you, Obi, if you ever want to talk about it."

Garen rolled his eyes, grabbing Obi-Wan by the arm and tugging him away from the Kiffar. "Have a seat, Anakin," he offered.

Anakin pulled a face. "Where?" he scoffed. Bant clearly needed more furniture, considering the boys always crashed at her place – Obi-Wan had sheepishly muttered something about her cooking the last time he'd thought to ask. And that certainly made sense. The Mon Calamari was an amazing chef.

Obi-Wan seemed to have come to the same realization regarding their seating, albeit a bit slower. He blinked, surveying the room in all of its furniture-less glory. "_Oh!_" he said, leaning forward in an attempt to sit up.

Anticipating his actions, however, Anakin scowled. "Don't you dare," he said, raising his hand and giving him a gentle force-push back into his seat – "oof." It was just like his Obi-Wan to put everyone else's needs before his own, Anakin mused, rolling his eyes and taking a seat on the floor beside Bant's chair.

"Anyway," Obi-Wan began, smiling down at his former padawan. "What brings you here, Anakin? Where's Ahsoka?"

"Ahsoka went with Rex somewhere and I came looking for you because…" Anakin trailed off uncomfortably, cursing the blush on his cheeks. Sure, he'd just been thinking about screaming it to the whole galaxy, but the circumstances had changed as soon as he'd walked into Bant's apartment, filled with Obi-Wan's closest friends. Friends that had known him since he'd first been brought to the Temple at the ripe age of nine. It would be a bit disconcerting to be shot down by his former Master in front of them, not to mention _humiliating_. Not that he thought Obi-Wan would do that, but it was still a possibility. Though, it wasn't like he'd give up or anything, even if he did. _'Nope. Sorry, Obi-Wan, but you're stuck with me.' _

Coming back to himself, to his horror, Anakin realized – as the friends gaped at him in confusion - that he'd just stopped talking. "I wanted to ask you something," he mumbled, embarrassed.

Obi-Wan nodded slightly and didn't press the matter. He seemed to sense Anakin's discomfort, as he usually could. Anakin guessed it was because they had never broken their training bond, even though the Code insisted on doing so. When Anakin had been knighted, and his braid had been cut – by a tearfully proud Obi-Wan – the new Jedi Knight had made sure that his Master knew what the bond meant to him, and how devastated he would have been if it were broken. He'd been shocked when he felt his feelings reciprocated by his smiling Master through their bond. And so they'd left it.

Unfortunately for Anakin, however, 'Torturing the Chosen One' was one of Quinlan Vos' favorite pastimes. "Oh? What?" he asked, putting on a mask of innocence that not even the youngest crechling would believe, considering the Master's reputation.

Anakin felt his cheeks lose their color, his lips thinning miserably. _'Damn you, Vos.'_

Anakin was spared, however, by the sound of someone clearing their throat. "How is Aayla doing, Quin?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin breathed a silent sigh of relief. Force bless his Obi-Wan. While he was known around the Temple for teasing Anakin, the Kiffar Master was even more famous for obsessing on his former padawan, Aayla Secura, a Twi'lek whom Anakin had grown up with. Leave it to Obi-Wan to use this information to his former padawan's advantage.

Quinlan grinned. He'd either caught Obi-Wan's plea to remain quiet on the subject or the temptation to talk about his Aayla was just too great for him. The sad part, Anakin thought with a quiet snort, was that it was probably the latter.

Nearly half an hour later, Bant managed to interrupt their friend mid-story. "Sorry, Quin," she apologized at his scandalized look. "But what would you all like for dinner?"

"Cake," Quinlan offered without preamble as Garen raised a finger to his lips and thoughtfully suggested, "Some kind of pasta."

Anakin cleared his throat before Obi-Wan could ask for something. "Actually, Bant, Obi-Wan and I already have plans for dinner." If the ginger-haired Master was surprised, he didn't show it. "Sorry, but we should probably get going."

Bant smiled. "No, no, that's all right," she assured him as he stood up. Meanwhile, the boys were saying their own usual good-byes.

"See you around, Obi," said Quinlan, ruffling Obi-Wan's hair. Despite himself, the Kiffar Master's ever-present smile was a touch melancholy. Obi-Wan made an affirmative noise as he set about the task of fixing his hair.

Garen stood from his seat as well. Placing a gentle hand on his best friend's shoulder, the red-head smiled down at him. "Until next time, Obi," he said softly. Obi-Wan smiled in return, his eyes bright with emotion as he said his own good-bye.

"Next time, Garen."

Anakin and Bant shared a look. The three boys' good-byes were always the same. Perhaps the familiarity was comforting to them, since, as Jedi, they did not know when they would see one another again – or even _if_, Force forbid it.

Having said his good-byes to his best friend, Garen faced Anakin, suddenly deadly serious. "Take care of him, Anakin."

Obi-Wan huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I can take care of myself, you know." He was ignored, of course.

Anakin nodded, and sensing the stern intent behind Garen's words, he answered him with an equally serious look. "Of course I will."

On his way to the door, Obi-Wan paused in front of Bant. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she spoke to him softly, "Make sure you come home to me, Obi, okay?"

He smiled, returning her tight squeeze full force. "I will."

"You take care, too, Ani," she said as they walked out the door.

"Mmm-hmmm," he said, as the door closed behind them.

The two friends walked in companionable silence. They were halfway to Obi-Wan's apartment when he glanced up at his former padawan, a question in his blue-gray eyes. "So, what's really the matter, Anakin?" he asked, curious, tucking his arms into the sleeves of his cream-colored tunic.

Anakin shook his head. "Nothing's wrong."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan asked, tilting his head to the side. "Normally, you wouldn't be willing to pass up one of Bant's dinners for anything."

Anakin smiled. "Well, I just wanted to have dinner with you, is all. That's… what I wanted to ask you, Obi-Wan," he admitted, fighting down a blush.

Obi-Wan smirked. "You needn't have been embarrassed about that, Anakin." Anakin shrugged, his lips curling up sheepishly. Obi-Wan watched him fondly, chuckling a bit. "Dex's, then?" he asked.

Anakin's heartbeat quickened and he clasped his arms behind his back nervously. "Er… no. Actually, I was thinking of… Coruscanti Starlight."

Obi-Wan frowned, his steps slowing slightly. "Coruscanti Starlight?" he asked. "That place is… ritzy. And expensive."

Anakin grinned. "Those two do tend to go hand in hand, don't they?" he asked. When Obi-Wan's frown did not lessen, Anakin continued. "So it's a classy place. We're classy, aren't we? I mean, we can't go anywhere without being followed by some HoloCam, you know?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Being celebrities, however unwilling, does not make us classy, Anakin."

Anakin smirked. "Whatever. And don't worry about the money, I'll be paying for you, of course."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "But, Anakin-"

Anakin raised his palm. "Ah-ah. I'm treating you and that's final. Besides, I asked you; isn't that the rule?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "I suppose so."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Having stopped in Obi-Wan's apartment and then Anakin's on the way out, to freshen up and change into slightly more formal tunics, the pair could not pass anyone in the Temple without being gaped at first. When the double-takes continued even out on the streets of the city, Obi-Wan's discomfort was palpable.

"Why does everyone keep staring at us?" he asked, his lips pulled into a pout. The Jedi Master was doing his very best to appear small and insignificant in order to avoid notice. It wasn't working.

Anakin laughed. "Why? Because you're a hero, Obi-Wan, and everyone knows it." Unlike his former Master, the Jedi's Chosen One was walking confidently, positively beaming with excitement for the evening he had planned.

Obi-Wan was already shaking his head. "No, I'm-"

Anakin cut across him. "Yes, you are. Now lighten up."

Glancing around at his surroundings, Anakin grinned. He couldn't stop grinning, really. He was on his way to one of the best restaurants on the entire city-planet with his Obi-Wan as his date! It was finally happening. According to some of the looks he was receiving, it seemed that the HoloNet viewers were thinking similar thoughts. A few had the gall to look scandalized, but there were still others who shot him a supportive grin, or an excited look. And then there were the few that could only be described as "fangirl" in their intensity. For the most part, though, the looks were questioning, as if they were not sure what to think. Anakin smirked. _'Let's clear up that confusion, then, shall we?'_

Gazing out of the corner of his eye, Anakin surveyed his former Master as he nonchalantly brushed their hands together. Obi-Wan sucked in a small gasp in response but – Anakin was pleased to note – did not move his hand away. Encouraged by his actions, Anakin slowly closed his fingers around his Obi-Wan's now trembling hand and, when the Master made no response - other than the faint blush on his cheeks - laced their fingers together.

The rest of the trip was spent in a comfortable silence. And they did not drop hands until after they'd been shown to their table at Starlight's.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

They were midway through their meal when Anakin decided that it was time. Glancing over at Obi-Wan with a soft smile, he had to wait until his Master could stop laughing from their previous conversation. When he had finished, and had wiped the tears of mirth from his blue-gray eyes, Anakin leaned forward, the serious look in his eyes enough to still his partner in his seat.

"Anakin?" he asked.

Anakin placed his hand over Obi-Wan's on the table and was delighted when the blush returned full-force. "Obi-Wan, I've taken you here for a reason," he declared, scooting forward a bit. "There's something I want to tell you."

Obi-Wan's lips were parted slightly, a gentle look of breathless anticipation in his eyes. "Yes?" he asked.

Anakin smiled, squeezing Obi-Wan's hand. "I-"

And that was when both of their commlinks went off simultaneously.

Anakin reached his first. "Skywalker," he said.

He was greeted by Master Windu's chilling voice. "Knight Skywalker. Come back to the Temple immediately. We require your presence – and Obi-Wan's – in the High Council room."

"Yes, Master." And the transmission was ended.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"What?" Anakin raged, fists clenched at his sides, hardly caring at all that he was shaking in his anger, before the Jedi Council no less. It was bad enough that they'd interrupted his confession, but now _this_? It was too much!

Beside him, Obi-Wan glanced over at his friend, concerned. "Anakin…"

Anakin shook his head, silencing him. "No, Obi-Wan! They're splitting up the _Team_! It's not right, they can't-"

Mace Windu, seated a few feet in front of where the pair was standing in the High Council room, scowled darkly at the young man from behind his steepled fingers. "Yes, we can, Skywalker. And we are."

Too angry to speak, Anakin settled on glaring his hatred at the dark-skinned Jedi Master.

"Enough of this, Knight Skywalker," Master Yoda demanded, tapping his gimer stick on the floor repeatedly in his agitation. "Needed Obi-Wan is on Andara. Requested personally he was."

"Fine," Anakin snapped. "But I'm still going with him."

"No, you are not," Ki-Adi-Mundi interjected. "As you very well know, it was also requested that he go alone."

Anakin shook his head again. "That's not acceptable."

"Another mission we have for you and your padawan, Knight Skywalker."

"I don't care!"

"Skywalker!" Master Windu thundered. "Be mindful of your actions. This behavior is not tolerable in a Jedi. We are forbidden attachment for a reason-"

"I don't _care_!"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted. Anakin flinched as if he'd been slapped. Turning back toward the Masters, Obi-Wan nodded at the prevalent two. "I will go, Masters," he announced, ignoring Anakin's look of shock and betrayal.

Mace nodded. "The representatives of Andara requested that you leave immediately, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded once again. "Yes, and I will. But first, I must speak with Anakin."

They were dismissed. Obi-Wan grabbed his former padawan by the wrist and led him out of the Council room and he didn't stop until they'd reached his apartment once again.

Opening the door, Obi-Wan stepped in, closing it again once the young man had also entered. Turning around to face him, Obi-Wan frowned. "Anakin, what-"

He gasped as he was grabbed by the front of his tunic and pulled roughly against Anakin's chest, his former padawan's arms wrapped in a vice-like grip around his back. It was only now, in their close proximity, that Obi-Wan realized just how badly the younger Jedi was shaking. He tried to speak, but couldn't when he acknowledged the fact that he could hardly breathe.

"Please. _Please._ Don't go, Master."

Obi-Wan was forced to blink back tears at the sheer distress his padawan was feeling, obvious to him first of all because of their bond, and second because of what he'd called him.

"Shhh," Obi-Wan soothed, lifting his hand from Anakin's back in order to run his fingers through his wavy hair. Anakin gave a little gasp and instead of releasing part of his hold on him as Obi-Wan had thought he would, he stiffened, clutching him against him a bit harder. Tilting his head, Anakin brushed his lips against the older Jedi's ear, causing him to tremble in response.

"_Obi-Wan…_" Anakin's voice was breathless as he spoke. It was too much. Resting his palms against Anakin's shoulders, he pressed gently until he was released.

"Anakin, I _have_ to go. The Council wishes it."

"I don't care, Obi-" His argument was hushed when Obi-Wan placed his hand over the younger man's mouth.

"Stop that, Anakin. I know you think you have to protect me, but-" As he attempted to remove his hand from his former padawan's mouth, he was shocked when Anakin's own hand shot up in order to keep it pressed against his lips. Anakin gazed heatedly into his eyes as he dragged Obi-Wan's palm across his lips tantalizingly slowly, pausing only to press his lips more fully against the inside of his wrist. Obi-Wan drew in a breath shakily.

"Yes, I do have to protect you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan sighed. "And you can, Anakin, always. Just not this time."

Anakin closed his eyes, resigned acceptance apparent on his face as he sighed unsteadily. "You're not going to give in, are you?" he asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. Swallowing, Anakin nodded. "Fine. Just promise me – _promise me_ that you'll be all right."

Sighing, Obi-Wan began to shake his head. "Anakin, you know I can't-"

"Promise me. Or else I won't let you go."

Obi-Wan swallowed. There was a pause. Finally, he nodded his head reluctantly. "All right."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Anakin watched with a heavy heart as his Obi-Wan climbed into his star fighter. As he strapped in, Obi-Wan glanced down at him. "I'll be back, Anakin. Soon. And when I come home, you can finish telling me what you started at the restaurant." Anakin nodded and his lips twitched a bit, but he was unable to smile. So, Obi-Wan took off.

All during the long flight, his thoughts were with his younger friend. And when he finally landed on Andara, his mind was still on Coruscant, in his apartment, replaying what it'd felt like when Anakin's lips had brushed his ear, pressed his wrist. So, it was Anakin's doing, really, that he didn't sense it in time.

Hopping out of his star fighter, he realized with a sick jolt that he was surrounded – by more than just the huge mechanical bodies of one hundred MagnaGuards and Droidekas. _'Oh, Anakin,'_ he thought, meeting the cold eyes of first Tyranus and then Ventress, respectively.

'_I'm so sorry.'_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **Apologies if they're out of character or anything, but I do love a possessive Anakin. :D

So, like, hate? If you like it, please let me know by dropping a review. Because if I don't get reviews, how do you expect me to continue the fic?

Either way, thanks for reading!

~ksp


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, before you all kill me for not updating sooner, you'll have to thank my **_**awesomely**_** awesome amazing epic beta, Rikkamaru. This chapter would not be here if not for her!**

**All right then, **_**now **_**you can kill me, though I'd just like to point out that there won't be a chapter 3 if I die…**

**Right, then. Before you read, let me just say, I do **_**not**_** write battle scenes. At all. So, that thing down there that tries to be one and fails epically, uh…I apologize in advance. ;)**

Chapter II: The Devastating News

Humming a jovial tune quietly to herself as she skipped down the ramp descending from Captain Rex's ship, Ahsoka could not stop smiling. Not that she wanted to, or anything, but she couldn't quite curb the feeling that she was making herself look like a fool. _'Oh, well,'_ she thought, shrugging good-naturedly. If she looked like a fool, then she looked like a fool because nothing would shake her from her joyful mood. She'd had _so_ much fun with her friends on the short trip, but especially so with Rex. Turning on her heel, she stopped to give him one more wave before entering the Temple and giggled as Rex blushed, raising a timid hand in return.

Yes, nothing could dampen her spirits for the duration of the rest of her mini-vacation. Or, so she'd thought.

"Hey, Skyguy!" she called, opening the door to their shared Master-Padawan apartment with a casual wave of her hand. When she was not greeted in return, the Togruta padawan assumed she was alone in their small home. Shrugging her bare, tanned shoulders absently, she decided to head to the kitchen for a long-overdue snack.

In a distant part of her mind, her thoughts turned to her Master and she couldn't help but feel some concern for him after the way he'd been acting earlier. His behavior could only be defined by one word – _spacey. _Ahsoka shivered. Bad things tended to happen when Anakin wasn't in his right mind.

For example, there was that time when Master Obi-Wan caught a chill and was confined to his bed for a week. Her Master had been out of his mind with worry for the man, so much so that he'd absent-mindedly thrown his white training robe into the laundry along with her rust-red sleeveless. He'd slipped the then brightly-dyed pink robe over his shoulders and prepared for a quick sparring session with her to relieve some of his stress without realizing his mistake.

During their walk to the Temple Dojo, his worried frown gradually morphed into an angry scowl as padawans and even fellow Knights continuously giggled at him. "_What _is so funny?" he'd demanded, folding his arms across his chest uncomfortably. Of course, he'd noticed the color then and, after ripping the offending material from his body, he chased her around the Temple for a solid two hours, intent on making her pay for allowing him to walk out of their apartment clothed in such a ridiculous color.

Ahsoka scoffed to herself as she entered the kitchen. Typical Skyguy, blaming her for something he'd done. Though, she'd had to admit, the sight of him in the pink robe was just too hilarious to keep to herself. So, perhaps she'd er…accidentally forgotten to mention it to him? Snickering, she rounded the corner to the kitchen – only to freeze in her steps, laughter dying on her lips.

Oh. Anakin was there, after all. Seated at the kitchen table with clenched fists and glaring into a mug of what appeared to be tepid caff, her Master looked ready to murder someone.

"Sk – er – Master?" Ahsoka asked timidly, not daring to take another step toward him.

"How _dare _they split us up?" he was muttering angrily to the cup in front of him. "What the hell do _I _care about what Andara wants? No one splits up the _Team_!" he shouted through clenched teeth, pounding the table in his frustration.

Uh-oh. From the sound of it, he was concerned for Obi-Wan. And in an extremely foul mood from the looks of things. Regarding his short temper, she'd seen it all, and it was never a pretty sight. Luckily, he hadn't seemed to notice her presence just yet. Perhaps if she were to just quietly tip-toe away…?

"How am I supposed to protect him if the bloody _Council _sends him away without me?"

Swallowing nervously, Ahsoka took a silent baby step backward, preparing to make her retreat to the awaiting soothing calmness of the Room of a Thousand Fountains. But then, he did something he'd never done before; something truly alarming.

He _screamed_...

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

His throat dry from hours of his constant angry rambling about the haughty audacity of the Jedi Council – a certain Korun Master being mentioned darkly most frequently of all – Anakin brought the now cold mug of caff to his lips, only to freeze in the act, the cup raised only midway to his mouth, as he was struck with a deep sense of foreboding.

A cold trickle of sweat rolled down his neck as his bond with Obi-Wan informed him of his former Master's sudden, consuming panic. Alarmed, Anakin closed his eyes and buried himself in the Force, seeking a closer connection with his friend. He knew that shouting in Obi-Wan's mind would only be a distraction to the older man, but he did it anyway, his need to know that he was all right overshadowing his sense of reason.

_Obi-Wan! What–?_

He was interrupted mid-thought by his Master's voice, hollow with regret.

_Oh, Anakin…I'm so sorry…_

And then, for the first time in over ten years, Anakin was completely alone in his own mind.

Eyes widening in the worst sort of fear, the cup fell from Anakin's fingertips, shattering into pieces against the hard surface of the table. The chair tipped with a loud clatter as he shot to his feet in alarm.

_Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan! _He shouted mentally, searching his mind frantically for any hint of the treasured training bond that they shared, his breathing coming in harsh, panicked gasps as the seconds passed and still he remained alone.

"Obi-Wan!" he called again, this time out loud in an attempt to gain a stronger focus. Closing his eyes, Anakin sank into the Force, probing deeper than he'd ever dared to go before. Even if his Master was unconscious, he would be able to feel him this way. "Obi-Wan!" he shouted, so deep in his connection with the Force that his voice sounded muffled to his own ears.

Nothing.

Breaking away from his connection with the Force, Anakin opened wide, horrified eyes as his mind frantically sought an answer for Obi-Wan's missing Force signature other than the obvious. "No…" He shook his head, raising shaking hands to clutch at his hair. This could not be happening. "_No_..." Obi-Wan wasn't dead. He couldn't be. How else could Anakin explain his own continued heartbeat? Surely the world would have ended if his Master truly _was_…?

Slowly, painfully, sense returned to his tortured mind along with the unavoidable truth.

He was gone.

Obi-Wan – his love, his heart, his _everything_ – was _dead_.

The truth hurt more than any physical wound ever could. He could not stifle a startled cry of pain as his flesh hand clutched at his chest, his palm resting against his throbbing heart. Closing his eyes, his head fell backward as he screamed.

"_NOOOOO!"_

He was only vaguely aware of his padawan's presence as she ran to him, grabbing his trembling arm in her small grip.

"Master? Master!"

She tugged on his arm until he moved, leading him to their sleepcouch. Dazed, he shuffled forward, his feet as heavy as lead. Sitting down, she tugged on his arm until he was beside her. "Master?" she asked, her voice sounding shrill and panicked to his ringing ears. "Master, what's _wrong_?"

Wrong? Was there anything left in this galaxy that was _right_?

"_Master_!" she shouted. Her arms were trembling as she raised them to grip his shoulders tightly.

"Everything," he whispered, lifeless, his voice hoarse from screaming and devoid of all hope.

Ahsoka paused, her heart sinking to her toes at his defeated tone. She'd never heard him use that voice before, that horrible broken rasp. He sounded as if…well, as if…

His hand still clutched at his chest, body trembling with emotion. His eyes were like windows, betraying his feelings without hindrance. His heart was _broken_…

And then she knew, without any doubt, that something had happened to Obi-Wan. Something _terrible_ and permanent.

"Oh. _Oh…_" A tear slipped down her cheek, unbidden. She wiped it away impatiently. "Master, I'm…" She trailed off, unable to finish. Her throat was closing with grief, making speech impossible.

Master Obi-Wan couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. The thought had never even crossed her mind before now. A part of Ahsoka's mind had always just assumed that the kindly Jedi Master was simply infallible. It was like saying Master Yoda was dead, or Master Windu. Impossible.

But there was only one explanation for Anakin's anguish, his obvious loss. What would happen to her Master now? She'd always imagined the pair of them as a dam of sorts. Away from Obi-Wan's presence, her Master was wild, unpredictable. She was never quite sure what to expect from him. But when Obi-Wan was with them, everything was okay. It was almost as if his presence was soothing to Anakin, as if he held him in check simply by being there with him, beside him.

She wasn't sure how many other people knew, but working alongside the two men made certain things very obvious, at least to her, his padawan. Anakin was clearly in love with his former Master. Ahsoka had just been working up the courage to tease him about it, when…

'_Oh, Anakin…'_

It was only her worry for Anakin that kept her from breaking down completely. She turned to him, ready for anything, prepared to hold him steady as his body vented its anguish, its heartache, in wracking sobs…

What she was not prepared for was his _smile_.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Ahsoka was crying now. She must have figured it out, then. A detached part of his mind that wasn't buried in nothingness, consumed with grief, wondered why he wasn't doing the same. Obi-Wan was gone. _Gone. _Wasn't coming _back. _And Anakin–

_(Darkness…)_

_(Struggle.)_

_(Pain.)_

–_blasted Force inhi_–

_(Panic.)_

Nothing.

Anakin did not dare move, breathe, or even _think_, fearing that he'd imagined it.

But no, that was definitely Obi-Wan's voice that had resounded in his mind, the beautiful sound breathing life into him once again. The tentative contact had lasted but one brief moment, and yet that one moment was all he needed to comprehend what had happened.

"–_blasted Force inhi_–"

Obi-Wan's voice had told him everything he needed to know.

First, and most importantly, wonderfully, _magnificently, _Obi-Wan was alive.

_Alive…_

Anakin felt the relief hit him like a training-saber against his abdomen. For a few precious seconds, he allowed his body to relax, to feel the immense joy that Obi-Wan's cherished life brought him. In that moment, Anakin knew his smile could rival the brilliant sunsets on Tatooine.

But next came what he did not like. What he _abhorred_. Because…

Second, he was undoubtedly being held against his will.

This thought was enough to wipe the smile right off of his lips. Because that meant that–

Third, some foul bastard had somehow gotten a Force inhibitor around Obi-Wan's neck, starving him of the energy that was like oxygen to a Jedi.

And preventing him from being as one – in mind and spirit – with Anakin.

_Unforgivable._

With a deep snarl that promised pain and death to whomever was responsible for this, Anakin moved.

'_I'm coming, Obi-Wan. And when I find you, when you're safe, whoever did this will have HELL to pay.'_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Master? Anakin, where are you _going_?"

It was no use. One moment, her Master was standing beside her, and in the next he'd whirled around, Force-leapt over the sleepcouch, and disappeared through the door, leaving her behind without so much as a backward glance in explanation.

Again.

Ahsoka groaned and covered her eyes. "When will he let me _in_?" she grumbled aloud, not for the first time.

Sometimes, being the Chosen One's padawan was just too much to handle, even for her. Anakin never opened up to her, never shared his thoughts with her like she thought an ideal Master should. Finding her way as a young Jedi in a heartless world was difficult enough _without_ her aloof Master's ignorance. The things that he did sometimes were just–

The whooshing sound of Coruscant's ever-present traffic was what snapped her out of her frustrated thoughts, prompting her to move.

Wherever he'd gone, Ahsoka would bet her lightsaber it wasn't to the Council. Since Obi-Wan was involved, her Master would have jumped straight into action – right to Obi-Wan's rescue – without even bothering to ask for help.

With a shake of her head, Ahsoka followed her Master out the door and made for the Council.

Until she realized that there were three other people that she should go to first…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Obi-Wan Kenobi was a fearsome Jedi Master as strong as he was brave; Master Qui-Gon had spent twelve years making sure of that. Obi-Wan knew of the glory and valor that came with battle. The last three years of his life were proof of that, whenever Anakin was by his side. But Obi-Wan was also wise. He knew that there were times when one must fight but also times when one must retreat. There was a difference between going into battle fighting for a cause and doing the same in suicide.

In this case, Obi-Wan knew his best option was to retreat. He could still be of service to the Republic, to the Council…

_Anakin…_

It was the thought of his former padawan that drove him to action. Anakin was a Jedi Knight with his own padawan now, strong enough and wise enough to lead a group into battle on his own.

But he still needed Obi-Wan. His last words to his Master were proof enough of that. Anakin was not yet ready to let go. And though the thought made him a hypocrite after the lectures about attachment he'd given Anakin, truth be told, neither was he.

In a move as quick as lightning, Obi-Wan Force-leapt into the air, his mind already going through the steps to arrange for a speedy lift-off in his star fighter. But as soon as he'd moved, the Droidekas had opened fire on his only means of escape. He was forced to maneuver in mid-air to avoid falling on the pile of the now smoking metallic ruin. He landed awkwardly beside it, drawing his lightsaber before his feet hit the ground and raising the glowing blue blade into a defensive position and not a moment too soon. The droids' attention was now focused solely on him.

Fine.

They wanted to fight? He'd give them a fight. There was no way he would survive this, but he certainly would not go out without a fight. Anakin would never forgive him otherwise.

'_How ironic,'_ he thought, deflecting a wave of blaster fire with a twirl of his lightsaber, _'that _my_ final thoughts would also be of you, Anakin.' _Ventress and Dooku were joining the fray now, turning the odds even more against him, though the fight had been anything but fair to begin with.

'_Though, I was blessed to know you much longer than Master Qui-Gon did.'_

Three lightsabers against one, now that was just unfair.

There was no time for anything but defense and even that was hardly possible. Soon, even that would be too much.

Tyranus swung from the left and Obi-Wan dodged, dashing backward just in time. Ventress was on him before the former Jedi had even finished his move. She twirled, adding fierce momentum to the cruel attack and striking at him with both of the vibrant red blades. The force was enough to send him staggering – _oh, blast! – _right into Dooku's path.

His hands clenched around his weapon as he whirled around, knowing that he would never make it in time, dreading the pain that he knew was mere milliseconds away and the ultimate end, when he would be separated from Anakin forever…

…and blocked the red lightsaber just in time.

Obi-Wan frowned, meeting the calm eyes of the old man for a moment, confused.

They'd had him. He should have been dead by now. So, why wasn't he?

Come to think of it, ever since the two Sith had drawn their weapons, the droids had remained oddly stationary. He flipped backward, away from both of them, and stole a glance at the machines in the process. They hadn't moved from the circle they'd formed around his now useless aircraft, but nevertheless remained still. The MagnaGuards kept their weapons hovering uselessly at their sides.

Obi-Wan glanced between the unusually docile droids and the Sith.

Something wasn't right.

In all of his years of fighting the blasted things, he'd never known a MagnaGuard to not attack an enemy. And he'd been wide open earlier. He would have been dead by Dooku's hands had the old man not waited for him to turn around.

What was going on?

While he pondered this new turn of events, Ventress leapt forward, her blades confusing blurs of red as she struck at him. Yet for all of her anger, her assault was much slower than usual. It wasn't much and he certainly would not have called it _mercy _but there was something off about her. He blocked one blade and quickly leaned back, eyes following the path of her other lightsaber, which was sure to strike at him in any moment, taking advantage of his single blade, which was currently being used for defense.

The attack never came.

Obi-Wan stepped backward, eyeing his opponent warily. Ventress followed him immediately, striking at him again, but with just the one blade.

Why was she hesitating? What was–?

There.

Suddenly and without warning, she doubled her assault, making him work twice as hard now that she was using both lightsabers. This was the Asajj Ventress he knew. But what had changed?

He was tiring now. It wouldn't be long now. His blue-gray eyes darted to Dooku, who was sprinting toward them. Which one of them would finish the job? Which would later gloat to Anakin that he or she had been the one to take his life?

Dooku was with them, now, though his lightsaber did not join the battle just yet. Ventress paused, leaning toward him with her blade and pushing him back a few inches, and threw an object toward Tyranus, who caught it easily and did not appear surprised in the least at having something randomly thrown at him in the midst of their foray. Obi-Wan frowned at them, wondering what it was.

But Ventress would not let him think on it for long. Old Ventress, _normal_ Ventress, was coming back with a vengeance and just breathing was becoming increasingly difficult for Obi-Wan. She lunged at him with both blades, the force of her attack sending his exhausted body stumbling backward, into unknown territory.

She didn't even leave him time to right himself. He raised his lightsaber just in time, his knees still bent and one arm thrown out for balance. He shifted his feet hurriedly, gathering his bearings and darting his eyes around the circle of droids in search of Dooku, who seemed to have disappeared a moment ago.

He was nowhere to be seen.

His heart punched in panic as he heard the familiar thrum of energy from the red lightsaber directly behind him.

Oh.

Dooku, then, he realized with bitter finality. It would be Dooku who would boast to Anakin about taking his right arm from him first and later his Master…

_No_.

He did not wish for Anakin to experience the pain that he'd suffered in the aftermath of Qui-Gon's brutal, untimely death. Anakin should never know what it felt like to be abruptly alone, to have the precious bond between Master and padawan forcibly severed – never to be repaired – and to heal so slowly that the sting never really goes away…

Obi-Wan cursed himself as his mind filled with consuming remorse, hating himself in the final moments of his life. What a fool he'd been; a horribly selfish fool. He should have insisted that the bond be severed when Anakin was knighted. The loneliness he would have felt as Anakin gradually drifted away, moved on, was nothing compared to what Anakin was about to experience.

Nothing.

Now, in result of his own selfishness, his desire to keep Anakin close, Anakin would suffer when he need not have if Obi-Wan had been a better Master.

'_I have failed you, Anakin.'_

But he wasn't dead yet. Perhaps there was some way, some impossible method of escaping from this certain doom. He turned his head a few inches until he could just see Dooku…who didn't even have his lightsaber raised against him.

There was nothing he could do about it, however. Nearly as soon as he'd glanced backward, Ventress had pushed against him even harder, leaning all of her weight into keeping him pinned. If he tried to defend himself against Dooku, Ventress had him. If he continued defending himself against Ventress, Tyranus had him.

He was literally trapped.

And then Ventress shoved him backward completely and he could not right himself and knew that the fatal blow was moments away, he would be impaled, as his Master had been and his last breaths in the land of the living would be wasted, watching two Sith laugh at him until he knew no more…

But he was still falling and there was no red blade protruding from his chest. His back hit something hard, but it wasn't the ground, he realized, disoriented, as in the very same moment, Ventress leapt forward and knocked the lightsaber from his hand, the unexpected attack causing his fingers to go slack. He watched his weapon – his only means of defending himself – roll away, distracted as something cold was wrapped around his neck, and snapped his arm up, calling it back to his hand.

The lightsaber twitched toward them just as there was a clicking sound near his ear.

The lightsaber stopped moving.

Obi-Wan gasped loudly as a part of himself, an essential piece, grew suddenly dull and he realized what they had done.

He reached for the device around his neck but Dooku's arms grabbed his and tugged them painfully behind his back. He struggled feverishly, pulling himself forward with all of his remaining strength, but Dooku was undoubtedly stronger. The man may be older, but he was also larger and taller – and he could still use the Force.

Desperate to be free, Obi-Wan dropped unexpectedly and pushed backward against the older man's chest. The breath was knocked from the Sith's lungs and his grip loosened. Obi-Wan tore his arms away and staggered forward – directly into the unrelenting hilt of Ventress's lightsaber, which she shoved against his abdomen with bone-crushing force.

Obi-Wan coughed, tasting blood, and fell to his knees, his arms catching him at the last possible moment before he cracked his head open on the pavement.

He had no strength left. He couldn't breathe. But he forced himself to lift a shaking hand and _tug_ on the _blasted _Force inhibitor before it was too late, before it was completely gone and–

Strong arms grabbed at his and gripped his forearms harshly, leaving hand-shaped bruises, he was certain, and wrenched his arms behind his back, lifting him up into the same position as before.

No.

_No!_

He struggled desperately against Dooku's chest as he felt his last tentative grasp on the Force slip through an invisible barrier…

He had to _do_ something! He had to…

Obi-Wan slumped forward in disbelief.

The Force had vanished from his mind completely.

He glared up at Ventress through a curtain of ginger hair. "Why?" he asked, his voice sounding hollow to his own ears. Why was the Force taken from him? Why hadn't they just killed him? Why had they taken such painstaking measures to take him alive?

Behind him, Dooku laughed coldly, victoriously. Ventress smiled, sheathing her red blades with a vindictive twirl of both hands.

And the hilt of her lightsaber struck his temple and he knew no more.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

When Obi-Wan opened his eyes, he was staring into darkness. For a moment, he feared blindness. But then, his eyes adjusted and he realized that he was in a cell of some kind, likely underground. He was lying down on his side on some form of rough terrain. And from the foul taste in his mouth, he judged it to be filthy. Moving his arms proved to be impossible, as his wrists were bound tightly against his back in binder cuffs. Thankfully, his legs seemed to have no such inhibitions, so he rolled over carefully, struggling awkwardly to his knees.

The task was more difficult than it should have been. He was unnaturally weak and his head was pounding. He forced himself to take it slowly, the injury to his abdomen protesting his every movement and constraining his lungs from expanding fully. Obi-Wan suspected rib damage and loathed Ventress with a new passion.

"Well, well. Look who's finally awake."

'_Speak of the Devil…' _he thought, whipping his head around to glare at her. She was smirking at him from behind the bars of his cell, on the opposite side. The _free_ side. Her hands gripped the grimy bars loosely as she watched him, her eyes studying him as if he were a fascinating test subject. Something that she could manipulate and experiment on by her will.

He didn't like the way she looked at him. It was Jabiim all over again…

"What's wrong, Obi-Wan?" she asked, mockingly, as if she knew his thoughts and found them to be immensely amusing. "No witty taunts for me today?" she sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm and perverse glee. She was enjoying this, his predicament, his complete helplessness.

He wanted to look away, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, hoping to distract her. He winced inwardly at the weakness he heard in his own voice.

Ventress grinned evilly. "Why are you alive, you mean." It wasn't a question. She waited for him to respond, to acknowledge that she was right, but he refused. She sighed, fingers tapping the metal bars in agitation. "You're here because _he _wants you to be."

Obi-Wan stilled his features, not wanting to give his confusion away.

There came the sound of crackling static and Ventress snatched the comm from her belt, striding away from the cell to take the call and Obi-Wan was alone.

His mind raced.

'_He? Dooku?'_

No, '_he'_ wasn't Dooku. She'd spoken the word with respect and a sort of reluctant fear. Obi-Wan thought back to another time, not so long ago, a similar situation that he'd found himself in. Before the war. When Dooku had spoken to him as if he cared, when he'd dared speak Qui-Gon's name…

He'd spoken of a Sith Lord.

Perhaps… But what would a Sith Lord want with _him_? He'd already made his allegiances quite plain. Dooku knew he would die before he joined them, this was old news. What, then? What was this? Was he to be an example to the rest of the Jedi Order? Would they hack the HoloNet and, what, publicly execute him? It was possible, but surely Dooku knew – especially Dooku, who had once been so close to him – that Master Yoda would not be affected, that his death would change nothing?

'_Well, that isn't entirely true, is it?'_ he asked himself. There was one person who would be influenced by his death.

'_Wait…'_

His stomach clenched uneasily as he felt the chill of sudden alarm.

If it was _Anakin_ they were after, _Anakin_ that was to be targeted… Obi-Wan felt the blood drain from his cheeks as he sat back against the wall, hands pressing the slimy stone, cold dread stabbing at his heart and making it difficult to breathe.

'_Calm down,'_ he told himself. _'Calm down. You're overreacting. You're assuming too much.'_

Was he, though? It was common knowledge that he and Anakin were close, thanks to the blasted HoloNet following them around. And Anakin was the 'Hero with No Fear' whom the people adored. They'd made him into an icon. And if their hero was crippled, say, by the death of a close friend…

When his mother had passed away, Anakin had become a raging mess of emotions, turbulent – dangerous. He could not afford to suffer another blow. Not now…now, when he was so desperately needed…

'_Oh, no.'_

Would his death be enough to incapacitate him? Would his senses be so dulled that he would fall in battle when he normally would not? Surely not. It was arrogant of him to assume that he held that much power over the 'Hero with No Fear' and besides, Anakin was strong.

These were simple presumptions, anyway, he told himself. He was thinking too highly of himself, placing worth where it did not belong.

'_Relax,'_ he thought to himself. _'This has nothing to do with Anakin.'_

Ventress was back now, with company: two brutish thugs in uniform. There was a jangling of keys and the cell door swung open. Before he could move, they were on him, blocking his exit and gripping his arms viciously. He was dragged bodily out of the cell and pulled through a dark maze of damp tunnels.

Minutes later, he found himself being thrown into a dimly lit room and when he sat up, he was face to face with a HoverCam. His eyes widened in alarm, his thoughts in the cell rushing back to him full-force.

'_It couldn't be…'_

"Hello, Master Kenobi," a cold voice drawled. He glanced up into the eyes of a stranger, clad in Separatist garb. He was grinning at him, a manic gleam in his heartless eyes. Obi-Wan looked away, his eyes scanning the room carefully. It was useless. He was completely surrounded, the exit suitably guarded. There would be no escape.

The Separatist cleared his throat impatiently and Obi-Wan snapped his gaze onto him again, noting with dread the rather long, sharp knife he held in his hands. Perhaps he hadn't been so very wrong after all…

"And welcome," his grin widened as he bowed to him with a mocking flourish, "to your execution."

**Heh. Umm…please be gentle? *segways away***

**See you in Chapter 3!**


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